Hyde10: Ten thoughts on Dolphins' 31-13 win over Jaguars
They took care of business.
They took care of Jacksonville.
The Miami Dolphins also took care some of the problems that hampered them the first couple of weeks in a 31-13 win on Thursday night. So they’re 1-2. They get a toehold into the season coming into a long-weekend break.
Here are 10 thoughts on the game:
1. Player of the Game: Ryan Fitzpatrick. You’ve got to enjoy watching him play. He comes with a passion we all want to bring to work. The results spoke for themselves this night: 18-of-20 passing for 160 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran seven times for 38 yards and another touchdown. The result, as much as Fitzpatrick’s play, was important because at 0-3 the season would’ve been effectively done and the toe-tapping for Tua Tagovailoa would’ve been in full order (at least by me). Fitzpatrick was strong from the start. On the first two possessions, he was 6-for-6 passing and 2 for 2 on possessions in the red zone for touchdowns as the Dolphins led, 14-0.
2. Question of the night: Is Xavien Howard OK? Late in the fourth quarter, he intercepted Gardner Minshew to end the game that was over for a while. He then grabbed his knee, or hamstring, or something, while moving to the bench. It didn’t seem a big problem, and you could see him sitting on the bench afterward talking with players. But ... considering the injuries to his knees, the talent he has and the investment in him — is he OK? Or is this just a continual issue? Watching him this year he doesn’t seem 100 percent. Let’s watch this moving forward.
3. The Dolphins defense doused some brush fires threatening their season, too. Where to start with what looked better?
A. The run defense. Jacksonville had run respectably the first couple of games. Jacksonville carried 17 times for 72 yards. You take that considering none of them were damaging.
B. The pass defense scheme seemed to drop back and allow Gardner Minshew to throw underneath. Which he had to all night. The idea was Jacksonville didn’t have the people to assemble a long drive. That was true especially with injuries to center Brandon Lindner and Pro Bowl receiver DJ Chark and ....
C. There was a pass rush. The Dolphins had four sacks. A second-quarter with the blitz by Kamu Grugier-Hill. A bigger strip-sack by Kyle Van Noy to set up a touchdown. That’s one way to get some necessary pressure on the quarterback — and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel got another. The line got a sack with Emmanuel Ogbah, too. That gives Ogbah 1 1/2 ... and that’s the total for the line. Still, no matter how you get it, you get it done.
4. So that seals it: Beards beat Moustaches? Gardner Minshew looked like a guy lost at sea much of the night and having to dump down to receivers he didn’t want to throw to. He completed 30-of-42 passes for 275 yards and an interception.
5. It looks like the Dolphins are going to have to manufacture a running attack if they’re to have one. Myles Gaskin is the feature back, and he had 22 carries for 66 yards. Even that’s stretching it as 15 came with the Dolphins running out the final seconds. Jordan Howard, who averaged 4.4 yards in Philadelphia last year, has 16 carries for 12 yards in three Dolphins games. The Dolphins running attack was Jakeem Grant on an end-around (29 yards) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (38 yards on four carries). Guess that’s how it’s going to get done. If it gets done.
6. Second-guess of the night: What was I second guessing? Fourth-and-1. Jacksonville 40-yard line. Midway through the third quarter in a 21-7 game. I tweeted you have to go for it there. Brian Flores did the fake-we’re-going-for-it that resulted in a delay of game. Matt Haack punted 42 yards to the Dolpins 3-yard line. The Dolphins sacked Gardner Minshew and forced into a fumble by Kyle Van Noy, who made the triple play by recovering the fumble at the Jacksonville 5. That resulted in Fitzpatrick running the quarterback draw to go up, 28-7. So it all worked out beautifully. (I still like going for it there on fourth down).
7. Talk about being on the same page this night. This video shows Elandon Roberts and Kyle Van Noy moving in complete sync ...
8. Jakeem Grant keeps showing he can offer a role on a winning offense if he can stay healthy. He made a nice, 19-yard catch on the Dolphins' first drive that went for a touchdown. He ran 29 yards on an end-around on the second drive for another touchdown.
9. My two-cent TV review goes to the NFL Network’s pre-game show. I get they have a game to sell. But a prime question before the game was if Jacksonville was a playoff contender. “Absolutely,” Joe Thomas said. The next topic was if Gardner Minshew’s play could prevent the drafting of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Huh? Look, this isn’t highbrow television watching NFL shows. But can we at least have a sensible conversation.
10. Next week: Seattle comes to town for the rare chance to see one of the game’s greats in Russell WIlson. Seattle is 2-0 after beating Atlanta and New England. It plays Sunday against Dallas before traveling across the country to play the Dolphins. Seattle hasn’t played in South Florida since 2012 (a 24-21 Dolphins win). The last time the teams met was the opener of the 2016 season (a 12-10 Seattle win) that was the first game Dolphins players kneeled during the national anthem.
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